Death Cab’s Depper Gets Emotional

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | July 8, 2017

Death Cab for Cutie bandmate Dave Depper, who’s also been collaborating with the bands Fruit Bats and Menomena, is finally releasing his own debut solo album, Emotional Freedom Technique, complete with nine tracks of synthy pop that embrace the influences of David Bowie and ABBA. This is a new venture for Depper, who started writing songs for this solo work in 2012, the beginning of a process he said helped him find his “own sound.” Emotional Freedom Technique is in outlets now on Tender Loving Empire Records …

Icelandic singer Bjork has released an unusual music video from her 2015 album Vulnicura, which might seem even more unusual considering that the album is two years old. Bjork decided to return to the album this year (after having released several traditional-format videos when the album first came out) to add on some virtual reality (VR) vids for her fans. The first of these is the single “Notget,” which features the singer transforming, via computer animations, throughout the clip from a black insect-like character to a neon-gold creature as the tune fades out. The VR version of “Notget” can be viewed in several different versions on YouTube …

If you like ’70s movies, disco music, and John Travolta, then this next piece of news is for you: The History Hollywood Auction is auctioning off the original light-up dance floor from the classic movie Saturday Night Fever, a movie that’s been deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress. The dance floor, which measures 24 feet by 16 feet, is made up of red, blue, and yellow light-up panels, and is expected to be auctioned to the highest bidder for at least $1 million …

Speaking of ’70s classics, a musical version of singer Cher’s life is heading to Broadway in 2018, an announcement that arrives on the heels of her recent performance at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, where the 71-year-old performed wearing, well … not much at all. Jason Moore (Avenue Q/ Pitch Perfect) is set to direct the show, which will tell the story of Cher’s life and career and feature many of her greatest hits, so far thought to include “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “If I Could Turn Back Time,” and “Believe.” Cher, who attended a secret pre-read of the show back in January, said that she “sobbed and laughed” through the performance and that the preview audience gave it a standing ovation …

LINK OF THE WEEK
Head 14 hours south from northern Michigan, and you’ll be in Atlanta, Georgia, a good place to aim your car if you’re looking for some cool music this fall. The one-day ONE Musicfest 2017, now in its eighth year, will take over Hotlanta’s Lakewood Amphetheater on Sept. 9 with a deep slate of live performances from Jill Scott, Damian Marley, Detroit rapper Sean Paul, Tank and the Bangas, Too $hort, Kaytranada, Jidenna, and Ari Lennox. ONE also will present what’s reportedly going to be the farewell show of Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). For tickets and more information, check out onemusicfest.com …

THE BUZZ
The Black Music Award Association voted Detroit-based Motown cover group Serieux the best R&B vocal group in Michigan …
Justin Bieber, who will perform at Toronto’s Rogers Center Sept. 5 and 6 this year, has teamed up with famed French DJ and record producer David Guetta for an upcoming mystery collaboration, teasing the song title “2U” on social media …
The Michigan-originated dream-pop band In the Valley Below has just relocated from Los Angeles back to Grand Rapids, where its currently booking a summer slate of local shows …
Fellow Grand Rapids rock outfit The Autumnatic has announced that its made plans to record a new EP at the city’s StoneHouse Recordings later this year …

And Katy Perry has added a Grand Rapids stop to her 2017 tour. She’ll perform at Van Andel Arena on Dec. 7 … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.